Neeru Dhanda eyes Olympic medal to end wait since Rajyavardhan’s 2004 silver
Indian trap shooter Neeru Dhanda overcame a severe viral fever to win three medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. She credited her success to a strict mental focus and a refusal to acknowledge her illness during the competition.
Why it matters
It highlights the psychological resilience required by elite athletes to perform under extreme physical duress.
NEW DELHI: Days before leaving for the Asian Games 2026, Neeru Dhanda was hospitalised with viral fever. She had barely any time to recover before boarding the flight to Japan. There was no proper recovery period. Just medicines, ORS, and a dream of winning a medal at the Asian Games.When she reached Aichi-Nagoya and entered her hotel room, Neeru picked up her gun and told herself three words: "Nerru, tu training pe hai (Neeru, you are in training."It was a message she wanted to give her own mind - a way of staying focused and refusing to think about the illness.With water bottles, ORS and medicines by her side, Neeru kept her dream alive.
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